Since most yard waste and food products are easily degradable under the correct conditions, placing them in a landfill unnecessarily wastes space and money. Compost also benefits soils by serving as a soil conditioner, which enriches soil and improves its structure.

Composting is a natural process that will occur whether or not materials are in a bin. However, using a bin in your backyard will better contain materials. A compost bin can be as simple as a cylinder made from chicken wire or it can be a commercial unit.

The Shelby County Board of Equalization meets each year beginning May 1 (or the next business day if the 1st falls on Saturday or Sunday). The primary function is to conduct impartial hearings on property assessment disputes between the taxpayer and county assessor. The County Board of Equalization is the first level of administrative appeal.

The County Assessor establishes the assessed valuation on your property.

The County Trustee calculates and collects taxes on your property based upon its assessed value.

The County Board of Equalization is a completely independent entity that handles the "appeal process and hearing" of your disputed assessment valuation. The Board is separate from and independent of the Assessor.

Once you have received a Forced Assessment, your account may be adjusted by filing an appeal with the Shelby County Board of Equalization. To appeal, you must file a petition and Personal Property Schedule with the Board within the period for filing appeals.

You may appeal the assessor’s valuation of your property by timely filing a complete appeal petition with the County Board of Equalization. There is no fee charged for filing an appeal. You may file your appeal by one of the following methods:

By Mail - Appeal forms may be mailed to the BOE Office. Envelopes must be postmarked by midnight of the deadline.

Online - Appeals may be filed online at boe.efile.shelbycountytn.gov/eFile. Online filings must be submitted by midnight of the deadline. The BOE strongly encourages property owners to use the BOE On-Line System to file their appeal. The process is simpler, faster and will generally provide an earlier hearing date. The system permits the taxpayer to upload supporting documentation directly to the BOE’s system. NOTE: Online eFile website is only functional during appeal season.

PROPERTY OWNERS WITH ONE (1) REAL PROPERTY APPEAL WILL BE ALLOWED TO SCHEDULE THEIR HEARING DATE PROPERTY OWNERS OR REPRESENTATIVES WITH MORE THAN 100 APPEALS MUST FILE ONLINE

You may withdraw your appeal for any reason and at any time prior to your scheduled hearing by notifying the Board of Equalization (BOE) in writing of your intent to withdraw. You may email your withdrawal to boe@shelbycountytn.gov or mail to Shelby County Board of Equalization,1075 Mullins Station Road, Suite C-142, Memphis, TN 38134. Print your name, property address and parcel number clearly. Be sure to sign the document. An electronic (typed) signature on email is acceptable. If a hearing has been scheduled, it will be canceled upon receipt of your withdrawal. IF YOU WITHDRAW YOUR APPEAL, YOU WILL HAVE NO FURTHER RIGHT TO APPEAL THE ASSESSOR'S DETERMINATION OF YOUR PROPERTY VALUE FOR THAT YEAR.

The scheduling of your hearing will depend on the volume of appeals and the timing of your petition filing. Generally, applications filed electronically will be scheduled to be heard first. You will be notified by mail at least two weeks prior to your scheduled hearing date.

You will have an opportunity to give oral testimony and provide evidence in support of your opinion of value. Please keep in mind that the County Assessor is, by law, presumed to be correct. The burden of proof is on you to show that the assessed value is not correct by presenting clear and convincing evidence to support your estimate of market value.

Remember, the issue before the Board is the market value of your property. Accordingly, you will need to furnish evidence that demonstrates that the Assessor’s value is incorrect. Successful forms of evidence include:

Real Property

Comparable sales

Photographs of features or conditions that you believe diminish your property’s market value

Letters or documents from government agencies and/or experts regarding development limitations

Deeds that describing easements that impact your value

Rent rolls and expense statements for commercial and income producing properties

Evidence of errors in the physical characteristics of the property as listed on your assessment record.

Personal Property

Personal property schedule

Photos of your tangible personal property

Balance sheet

Listing of all assets used in business

Purchase agreement for assets

When gathering evidence and formulating arguments, it is important to keep in mind that, by law, the Assessor is presumed to be correct. The burden of proof is on you to show that the Assessor’s determination of value is incorrect.

You may appeal the County Board’s decision to the Tennessee State Board of Equalization. An appeal must be filed with the State Board within forty-five (45) days from the county board notice. For additional information, please contact the Tennessee State Board of Equalization by calling 615-401-7883 or visit the SBOE website at www.comptroller.tn.gov/sboe. The State Board of Equalization’s administrative judges hold hearings in Memphis.

All cases begin their journey through the Circuit Court at the Filing Counter located in Room 224 at the County Courthouse (140 Adams). When you come to file your case, the paperwork and payment are processed and one of nine of our division judges is randomly selected by our Case Management System to hear your case.

Having an attorney represent your case in court is preferred. It is to your benefit to hire legal representation. An attorney has been educated in the Law, knows the Local Rules of Court, is very familiar with the format of required court paperwork and can professionally present your case in the courtroom. Please note that the Circuit Court staff cannot offer you any legal advice. However, should lack of funds prohibit you from having legal representation, there are sources available to you. Contact information for a few of these resources, the Memphis Bar Association and Memphis Area Legal Services, are listed on our 'Other Contacts' page on this site.

There are several parking garages and lots conveniently located in vicinity of the Shelby County Courthouse as well as metered parking along the street. The handicap accessible entrances are at the corner of Third and Adams, and Second and Washington.

We may be able to provide general advice. Private property is not under the authority of the government. This is a private matter that must be worked out between the homeowners. Commonly, the law provides that the actions of adjacent property owners must not cause damage. Consult an attorney for full explanation of rights and responsibilities in accordance with the particulars of the situation.

Generally not, since the county cannot work on private property without a recorded drainage easement. An easement is typically only on or around concrete inlets, pipes, and channels. It is the homeowner's responsibility to keep natural drainage features functional. Some drainage easements are on "common open space," which are typically the responsibility of the homeowner's association. If you would like to know if a drainage easement exists on your property, you can check your subdivision plat at Shelby County Register of Deeds by doing an address search (right-hand side) and selecting the link to the subdivision's plat in blue.

No, the easement gives the county the right to enter the space to make repairs and fix problems related to public facilities such as culverts and inlets. The underlying land is still owned by the homeowner.

No, the subdivision was built and checked according to a grading and drainage (G&D) plan designed and certified by the developer's engineer. This plan takes into account all flow onto and off the property as well as flow to street drains and inlets inside the development. Unfortunately, after a subdivision has been checked and accepted, the individual builders and/or subsequent property owners may take it upon themselves to make changes. If this happens, the builder must be contacted or the homeowner must make corrections themselves. The county cannot work within private property unless the work is within a recorded drainage easement.

Each homeowner is responsible for the maintenance of the yard from the move-in date, unless it can be shown that there was some defect in the way the grading or lawn was installed. In that case, the developer or builder should be contacted. Generally, problems with the yard may be referred to the builder while questions involving the public infrastructure may be the responsibility of the county or the developer. Please contact our office at (901) 545-4320 for advice on this question. There is usually a one-year warranty from the developer on all the structures. The year starts when the work has been accepted by the county. This may be several years before some of the houses have been built.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as part of its administration of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), publishes flood hazard maps, called Flood Insurance Rate Maps, or FIRMs. The purpose of a FIRM is to show the areas in a community that are subject to flooding and the risk associated with these flood hazards. You can research and view FIRMs for free at the FEMA Map Service Center. You can also create a customized FIRMette: a paper copy of a user-defined portion of an effective FIRM, produced and saved on your computer. The FIRMette is true to scale and includes title block, scale, and north arrow. It can be used to help determine the location of a property or structure relative to the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA).

The SFHA is also known as the 100-year floodplain. It is more precisely defined as the floodplain associated with a flood that has a 1% annual chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. Therefore, the SFHA is not a flood event that happens once in a hundred years, rather a flood event that has a one percent chance of occurring every year.

A Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) changes flood insurance risk zones, floodplain and/or floodway boundary delineations, planimetric features, and/or Base Flood Elevations (BFE) shown on a FIRM. Homeowners, community officials, and others who have adequate scientific and/or technical data may submit those data to FEMA to support a request for a Letter of Map Revision to revise the flood hazard information shown on the effective FIRM. Individuals, who would like changes to non-technical information, such as road names, road configurations, and corporate limits, should submit the required information to support a map change request to FEMA. Please contact our office at (901) 545-4320 for advice and assistance.

For virtually every mortgage transaction involving a structure in the United States, a lender reviews the currently effective FIRM for the community in which the property is located to determine its location relative to the SFHA. In some cases, a lender incorrectly determines that a property is in a SFHA. If you would like FEMA to make an official determination regarding the location of your property relative to the SFHA, you may apply for a Letter of Determination Review (LODR). The LODR process does not consider the elevation of the structure or property. Rather, it considers only the horizontal location of the structure relative to the SFHA shown on the FIRM. FEMA reviews this information and issues its finding of whether the structure is located in the SFHA according to the currently effective FIRM. While this determination cannot consider the elevation of your structure or property, it can be useful if you feel the lender's interpretation of the FIRM is incorrect. Please contact our office at (901) 545-4320 for advice and assistance.

Depending on the specific circumstances, you may apply for a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA), or a Letter of Map Revision Based on Fill (LOMR-F). The application forms for LOMAs and LOMR-Fs can be found on the FEMA Forms webpage and provide comprehensive, step-by-step instructions for requesters to follow ensuring that your submittal is complete and logically structured. Upon receiving a completed application, FEMA reviews property-specific information including surveyed elevation data (typically the elevation of the lowest adjacent grade of the structure in question) and makes a final flood zone determination for the property. The homeowner may be required to hire a licensed land surveyor to perform this elevation survey if this data is not readily available. If the LOMA or LOMR-F removes the SFHA designation from the property, it can then be presented to the lender as proof that there is no federal flood insurance requirement for the property. Please contact our office at (901) 545-4320 for advice and assistance.

Homeowners insurance usually does not cover flood damage. Many property owners discover too late that their homeowners insurance policy will not pay when their homes are damaged by common geological processes such as earthquakes, expansive soils, floods, hurricanes, or landslides. Most homeowners have the impression that their "all perils" insurance policy would pay for almost any type of damage that their home would experience, so it is important to read the exclusions statement on the policy or ask their insurance agent.

The purchase of a flood insurance policy is wise even if a structure is located outside the SFHA. More than 25% of flood claims are made by property owners located outside the floodplain. The issuance of a LOMA or LOMR-F does not mean the structure or lot is safe from all flooding; it means that the risk of flooding is not as high as it is in the SFHA. Events greater than the 1% annual chance event can and do occur. It is also important to note that the flood insurance premium rate for structures located outside the floodplain are lower than the premiums for structures located in the floodplain.

The Elevation Certificate is one way for a community to comply with the National Flood Insurance Program requirement that the community obtain the elevation of the lowest floor (including basement) of all new and substantially improved structures and maintain a record of such information. The Elevation Certificate also is required to properly rate structures constructed after publication of the Flood Insurance Rate Map for flood insurance premiums.

Elevation Certificates must be prepared and certified by a registered professional engineer, licensed land surveyor, or registered landscape architect who is authorized by state or local law to certify elevation information. Community officials who are authorized by local law or ordinance to provide floodplain management information may also sign the certificate.

We provide services to victims of a wide variety of crimes. The Crime Victims Center can help you complete an application for the Tennessee Criminal Injuries Fund. This fund assists innocent victims of crime with medical expenses caused by the crime, reimbursement for wages lost due to an injury caused by a victimization, and assistance paying for burial expenses due to a homicide. Call (901) 222-3950 and ask for assistance with victims’ compensation.

The Crime Victims Center provides outreach into the community to talk about crime, the affect it has on victims, and how each of us can help those in our midst who have been crime victims. We work collaboratively with many victim and social service agencies in the Memphis and Shelby County area and can tell you about opportunities to make a difference.

Volunteers are people like you who are skilled, educated, professional, trained, talented, and creative individuals helping us to meet the mission of our organization.

Your involvement will help our organization to improve current programs and create new ones such as family enrichment, counseling, vocational training, arts and crafts, spiritual growth and more. Your services will not only benefit our client population, but will help to benefit everyone in the community as a whole.

You can volunteer o meet people, explore new learning, test leadership skills, to be part of a group, to give to others, gain recognition, keep active, and to get involved and give back to the community.

Teaching clients the proper life skills - how to make decisions, setting goals, planning financially, continuing education, exploring talents, and growing spiritually - will offer them a second chance in society while investing in your own future for the purposes of humanity. Help us raise awareness and the public's perception of institution life by becoming a teacher, tutor, counselor, mentor, role model, leader, helper, or friend.

In general a Notification of Compliance Status for Gasoline Dispensing Facilities-Stage I Vapor Recovery form must be filled in and signed. This will assist in determining whether or not the gasoline facility is required to be permitted or not.

Also, an APC-2-01 Permit Application General Information form must be completed and signed.

When all applicable requirements are satisfied and fees paid a permit will be issued.

The Pollution Control Section is responsible for protecting Shelby County’s air quality. Requiring a source (or a business) to obtain a Stage I Vapor Recovery gasoline dispensing facility operating permit ensures compliance with the established rules, thereby decreasing the impact on nearby residents and maintaining overall air quality.

The section has the right to conduct routine inspections as deemed necessary. The section may suspend or revoke any facility permit if the permit-holder fails to comply with the provisions, stipulations, or compliance schedules specified in the permit. The Memphis Shelby County Air Code provides for civil penalties of up to $25,000 per day for each day of violation.

A charge group is located after the 8 digit case (docket or booking) number and is usually 01. The only exception would be if there are multiple charging instruments and then the charge group would be 02, 03, etc.

Payments that are $75.00 or more will be given 30 days from the payment date, unless the defendant is on a special payment plan or collection process is in progress (garnishments, warrant, wage earner or license suspension).

Anthrax is an acute infectious disease caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Anthrax most commonly occurs in wild and domestic lower vertebrates (cattle, sheep, goats, camels, antelopes, and other herbivores), but it can also occur in humans when they are exposed to infected animals or tissue from infected animals.

Because anthrax is considered to be a potential agent for use in biological warfare, the Department of Defense (DoD) has begun mandatory vaccination of all active duty military personnel who might be involved in conflict.

Anthrax is most common in agricultural regions where it occurs in animals. These include South and Central America, Southern and Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. When anthrax affects humans, it is usually due to an occupational exposure to infected animals or their products. Workers who are exposed to dead animals and animal products from other countries where anthrax is more common may become infected with Bacillus anthracis (industrial anthrax). Anthrax in wild livestock has occurred in the United States.

Anthrax infection can occur in three forms: cutaneous (skin), inhalation, and gastrointestinal. Anthracis spores can live in the soil for many years, and humans can become infected with anthrax by handling products from infected animals or by inhaling anthrax spores from contaminated animal products. Anthrax can also be spread by eating undercooked meat from infected animals. It is rare to find infected animals in the United States.

Symptoms of disease vary depending on how the disease was contracted, but symptoms usually occur within seven days. Cutaneous Most (about 95%) anthrax infections occur when the bacterium enters a cut or abrasion on the skin, such as when handling contaminated wool, hides, leather or hair products (especially goat hair) of infected animals. Skin infection begins as a raised itchy bump that resembles an insect bite but within one to two days develops into a vesicle and then a painless ulcer, usually 1 - 3 centimeters. In diameter, with a characteristic black necrotic (dying) area in the center. Lymph glands in the adjacent area may swell. About 20% of untreated cases of cutaneous anthrax will result in death. Deaths are rare with appropriate antimicrobial therapy. Inhalation Initial symptoms may resemble a common cold. After several days, the symptoms may progress to severe breathing problems and shock. Inhalation anthrax is usually fatal. Intestinal The intestinal disease form of anthrax may follow the consumption of contaminated meat and is characterized by an acute inflammation of the intestinal tract. Initial signs of nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, fever are followed by abdominal pain, vomiting of blood, and severe diarrhea. Intestinal anthrax results in death in 25 - 60% of cases.

Anthrax can be found globally. It is more common in developing countries or countries without veterinary public health programs. Certain regions of the world (South and Central America, Southern and Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and the Middle East) report more anthrax in animals than others.

In countries where anthrax is common and vaccination levels of animal herds are low, humans should avoid contact with livestock and animal products and avoid eating meat that has not been properly slaughtered and cooked. Also, an anthrax vaccine has been licensed for use in humans. The vaccine is reported to be 93% effective in protecting against anthrax.

The anthrax vaccine is manufactured and distributed by the BioPort Corporation in Lansing, Michigan. The vaccine is a cell-free filtrate vaccine, which means it contains no dead or live bacteria in the preparation. The final product contains no more than 2.4 milligrams of aluminum hydroxide as adjuvant. Anthrax vaccines intended for animals should not be used in humans.

Persons who work with imported animal hides or furs in areas where standards are insufficient to prevent exposure to anthrax spores

Persons who handle potentially infected animal products in high-incidence areas (incidence is low in the United States, but veterinarians who travel to work in other countries where incidence is higher should consider being vaccinated)

Military personnel deployed to areas with high risk for exposure to the organism (as when it is used as a biological warfare weapon)

The immunization consists of three subcutaneous injections given two weeks apart followed by three additional subcutaneous injections given at 6, 12, and 18 months later. Annual booster injections of the vaccine are recommended thereafter.

Mild local reactions occur in 30% of recipients and consist of slight tenderness and redness at the injection site. Severe local reactions are infrequent and consist of extensive swelling of the forearm in addition to the local reaction. Systemic reactions occur in fewer than 0.2% of recipients.

Residents of Memphis and Shelby County should call 9-1-1. Provide them with the details of the occurrence explaining who was exposed, what they were exposed to (suspicious items, etc.), when exposure occurred, and where exposure occurred. After that, the appropriate response team will be dispatched and further instructions will be given by responding officials.

The Department of Defense recommends that servicemen and women contact their chain of command on questions about the vaccine and its distribution. The anthrax Vaccine Immunization Program in the U.S. Army Surgeon General's Office can be reached at (877) GET-VACC (1-877-438-8222).

Botulism is a severe intoxication or food poisoning resulting from the ingestion of the toxin produced by the bacteria clostridium botulinum. Infant botulism results from the ingestion of the bacteria and subsequent production of the toxin in the infant's intestinal tract. Both forms are rarely reported in Memphis. In 1999, there was one reported case of infant botulism and no cases of foodborne botulism were reported.

Foodborne botulism is acquired through the ingestion of the toxin in foods which were not properly canned or preserved, or which were not adequately cooked or reheated before eating. Most cases in the United States are due to home-canned fruits and vegetables. Infants develop botulism through the ingestion of food contaminated with the bacterial spores, which then produce the toxin in the gastrointestinal tract. Person-to-person spreading does not occur.

Recognized sources of infant botulism, such as honey, should not be fed to infants. All canned and preserved foods should be properly processed and prepared. Bulging containers should not be opened and foods with off-odors should not be eaten or even tasted. Commercial cans with bulging lids should be returned unopened to the place where purchased.

If you are interested in starting a business that will provide food to the public, you should FIRST contact the Shelby County Health Department, Food Inspection Program for assistance. Office hours are 8:30 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Monday through Friday, except for County holidays. Our office can provide you with a copy of State regulations governing all food establishments and information on how to get started.

If you are interested in purchasing an existing food outlet of any type, you should contact our office. We may be able to conduct a courtesy inspection and inform you of any changes or remodeling which may be required to bring the facility up to current standards. Upon change-of-ownership or extensive remodeling, all facilities must be brought into compliance with current codes. There is no “grandfathering.”

The fees for restaurants are established by State laws. The fee is based on the seating capacity of the facility. The fee for an establishment with 50 or less seats is $210 per year. The fee for an establishment with 51 seats or more is $360 per year. The permit year starts on July 1st and ends on June 30th the following year.

FEES ARE ESTABLISHED BY STATE AND LOCAL STATUES FOR RETAIL GROCERY STORES, MEAT MARKETS, ETC. FEES RANGE FROM $57.50 TO $622.50 AND ARE BASED ON THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE ESTABLISHMENT.

Permits for all food facilities are issued and approved by the Shelby County Health Department. Contact the Health Department, Food Inspection Program, for information on obtaining a food permit and approval for the particular type of facility you plan to operate.

Germs can be found everywhere. Bacteria and viruses that cause colds and infectious diseases such as hepatitis A, E. coli, shigella, and salmonella, are spread through contact with a contaminated surface or by persons who don't wash their hands after using the bathroom. Washing your hands correctly will greatly reduce the chances of having those germs enter your body when you touch your nose or mouth, or spreading them to others through handling food or person-to-person contact.

Knowing how to wash your hands correctly is just as important as knowing when to wash them. Just rinsing them quickly is not enough. When you wash your hands:

Always use warm, running water and soap.

Rub hands together vigorously until a soapy lather appears and continue for 20 seconds. Be sure to wash all surfaces thoroughly, including the wrists, fingers, palms and top of hands, between fingers, and under fingernails.

Rinse hands under warm running water. Leave the water running while drying hands.

Dry hands with a clean, disposable (single use) towel.

Turn the faucet off using the towel as a barrier between your hands and the faucet handle.

Hepatitis A is an inflammation of the liver caused by a virus. Anyone can get the hepatitis A virus, but it occurs more frequently in children and young adults. Persons in groups shown to be at high risk for infection (i.e., travelers to countries with high or intermediate rates of the disease, men who have sex with men, injecting drug users, persons with clotting-factor disorders, persons with chronic liver disease, and individuals living in crowded conditions).

The time that a person is first exposed to the virus until the time the person begins to feel sick is generally between 15 and 50 days. However, the infected person can spread the virus to others one to two weeks before symptoms appear, and up to one week after the onset of jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes).

Symptoms often appear suddenly and may include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. A few individuals may also have darkened urine, light-colored stool, and jaundice. The disease varies from a mild illness lasting one to two weeks, to more severe cases taking four to six weeks to recover. Infants and young children tend to have very mild symptoms. Some people have no symptoms, but can still be contagious. The disease is rarely fatal and most people recover in a few weeks without any complications.

Hepatitis A is spread person-to-person from fecal contamination and oral ingestion, by either person-to-person contact or ingestion of contaminated food or water. The virus is passed through the intestines of the infected person and infects someone else if it enters through their mouth. If someone who is infected with the virus does not wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water after having a bowel movement, the virus can be carried on the infected person's hands and potentially spread to others through food, other objects they touch, and through unsafe sex practices.

Spread occurs easily in households and in day care centers, especially among children who wear diapers. The virus is not airborne, so you will not get hepatitis A by being in the same room with someone who has it; however, it may survive on contaminated objects in the environment (for up to one month).

There are no special medicines or antibiotics that can be used to treat or cure a person once symptoms appear. Doctors may recommend bed rest or inactivity, eating a balanced diet low in fat, avoidance of alcoholic beverages, and non-essential medications. Medicine to help with vomiting or dehydration is sometimes needed.

The best way to keep from getting hepatitis A is to practice good sanitation and proper handwashing for yourself and your family. Children need to have their hands washed by adults if they are too young to do it themselves. Older children should be taught to wash their hands. Adults need to set good examples.

Insist on cleanliness in the restaurants you patronize or wherever food is being prepared for consumption. Also, day care centers (especially those enrolling children in diapers) should use the utmost care in hand washing practices and diapering procedures.

Immunization against hepatitis A is also recommended. The Memphis and Shelby County Health Department has vaccine for children and adults. Currently the vaccine for children ages 2 - 18 years of age is free. The adult vaccine is $45 per dose. The children and adult vaccine requires two doses six months apart.

Anyone can get the hepatitis A virus, but it occurs more frequently in children and young adults. Persons in groups shown to be at high risk for infection (i.e., travelers to countries with high or intermediate disease, men who have sex with men, injecting-drug users, persons with clotting-factor disorders, persons with chronic liver disease, and individuals living in crowded conditions).

A shot of immune globulin, if given within two weeks of exposure, may help prevent illness in household members of infected persons and in persons who have eaten food prepared by someone with hepatitis A or who have been otherwise exposed. There are usually no side effects from the shot other than some soreness in the area where the shot was given. Immune globulin provides only temporary protection for about three months by boosting your immune system.

Histoplasmosis is a disease caused by the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum. This fungus grows in soil, especially soil contaminated with bird or bat droppings. Its symptoms vary greatly, but the disease primarily affect the lungs. Histoplasma capsulatum is found throughout the world and in the United States where this organism is more prevalent in the soil.

Histoplasmosis is not spread from person to person. Infection occurs from breathing in the airborne spores after contaminated soil or material has been disturbed. Approximately 80% of the population living in areas along rivers and farmland may skin-test positive for histoplasmosis exposure.

Most infected persons have no apparent illness. If symptoms occur, they will start within 3 to 17 days after exposure. Persons developing disease usually present with an influenza-like illness with fever, cough, headaches, and muscle aches. Acute pneumonia, chronic pneumonia, or a disseminated form that affects other organs can occur. Histoplasmosis can be a fatal illness if persons exhibiting disease symptoms are not treated.

Histoplasmosis is diagnosed by a variety of laboratory tests that either isolate the organism or detect antigens of the organisms in either blood serum or urine. Chest x-rays will show distinct patterns and the chronic form can resemble tuberculosis. The histoplasmin skin test denotes exposure but does not indicate disease and is not a diagnostic test.

Yes. Antifungal medications are used to treat severe cases of acute, chronic, and disseminated disease. Mild disease usually does not require treatment. Past infection results in partial protection against ill effects if reinfected.

Influenza is a contagious disease that is caused by the influenza virus. It affects the respiratory tract in humans (nose, throat, and lungs). Influenza is different from a cold and can range from mild to severe illness, and can lead to death.

Some complications may be bacterial pneumonia, dehydration, and worsening of chronic medical conditions - such as congestive heart failure, asthma, or diabetes. Children may also get sinus problems and ear infections.

Influenza is spread, or transmitted, when a person who has influenza coughs, sneezes, or speaks and sends respiratory droplets into the air. The virus enters the nose, throat, or lungs of a person and begins to multiply, causing symptoms of influenza. Influenza may, less often, be spread when a person touches a surface that has influenza viruses on it - a door handle, for instance - and then touches his or her nose or mouth.

A person can spread influenza before he or she feels sick. Adults can continue to pass the influenza virus to others for another three to seven days after symptoms start. Children can pass the virus for longer than seven days. Symptoms start one to four days after the virus enters the body. Some persons can be infected with the influenza virus but have no symptoms. During this time, those persons can still spread the virus to others.

Good respiratory hygiene should be encouraged, including washing of hands

Do not give aspirin to children or teenagers who have flu-like symptoms. Giving aspirin to children or teenagers with influenza can result in a rare, but serious illness called Reye Syndrome. Children or teenagers with the flu should take medicines that contain no aspirin to relieve symptoms.

Influenza is caused by a virus; therefore antibiotics (like penicillin) do not work to cure it. The best way to prevent the flu is to get flu shot each fall, before flu season begins. In this community the best time is during the months of October and November, since the worst part of our flu season is usually January and February. Since influenza viruses can change each year, influenza vaccines must be developed for each season, and yearly influenza vaccination is needed for protection.

The single best way to prevent the flu is to get vaccinated each fall, and to practice good health habits. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too. Also, cover our mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick.

Additionally, stay home when you are sick. If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.

Also, washing your hands often will help to prevent the spread of germs. Wash all surfaces, including the backs of hands, wrists, between fingers, and under fingernails for a minimum of 20 seconds with warm soapy running water. Rinse well and dry hands with a clean towel, paper towel, or air dyer.

La Crosse is transmitted by infected mosquitoes that bite you. La Crosse virus can not be spread from person-to-person. The virus is mostly found in woodland habitats, between the treehole mosquito (Aedes triseriatus) and vertebrate hosts (such as chipmunks and squirrels).

La Crosse encephalitis is most common in the areas of the upper Midwestern United States and in the Appalachian region (West Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia). There are about 70 cases reported each year in the United States.

There is no specific treatment for La Crosse infection. More severe illnesses are treated by supportive therapy that may include hospitalization, respiratory support, IV fluids, prevention of other infections, and good medical care.

Non-DEET products provide some protection from mosquito bites but may not last as long as DEET products. Persons who are concerned about using products containing DEET may wish to consult their health care provider for advice.

Protect infants less than 10 months of age by placing mosquito netting over infant carriers when outdoors. Children over 10 months of age may use products that contain 10% DEET or less.

Eliminate mosquito breeding habitats by draining standing water in toys, flower pots, and other similar collection places.

Remove used tires and unclog gutters.

Flush bird baths every two to three days.

Flush and replace water in pet bowls frequently.

Clean and chlorinate swimming pools.

Install or repair damaged or torn window and door screens to prevent mosquitoes from entering the home.

Decorative ponds can be stocked with Gambusia minnows that will eat immature mosquitoes. Gambusia minnows are available at the Vector Control office free of charge. Call (901) 544-3347 during normal business hours for more information about the Gambusia.

Approximately 17,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention each year. Lyme disease is characterized by a distinctive rash, flu-like symptoms, and aching joints. Lyme disease can affect people of all ages in many different states. Typically it is carried by deer ticks that live in the low bushes and tall grasses of wooded areas and are most abundant in the spring, summer, and fall.

To contract Lyme disease, you have to be bitten by an infected tick. Although the percentage of people who are bitten by a deer tick and actually get Lyme disease is small, proper precautions should still be taken in areas where ticks live. Increased awareness and prevention methods are key to helping keep the number of Lyme disease cases to a minimum.

The signs and symptoms of Lyme disease may become more severe as the disease progresses. Not every one who contracts Lyme disease will exhibit all of the symptoms. Common symptoms include:

A rash: A rash may appear with a small, white, hard lump at its center. The rash shows up at the site of the bite, often times in the hairy parts of the body, possibility the head, in the groin, underarm, waist, or navel area.

Flu-like symptoms: Within 30 days of being infected, you might develop a fever, chills, fatigue, body aches, and a headache.

Joint pain: Sharp pains might appear for a few days in any joint, then disappear and reappear in another joint.

Memory loss, difficulty concentrating and changes in mood, intolerance to light, infected lymph nodes, or change in sleep habits: These can be symptoms of later-stage Lyme disease.

Lyme disease is caused by bacteria carried by a family of ticks. Deer ticks are one of the most well-known members of this tick family, which can sometimes be no bigger than the head of a pin. To contract Lyme disease, you have to be bitten by an infected tick.

If you're bitten and the infected tick stays attached to your skin for an extended period of time, bacteria can travel from the tick's gut to your bloodstream. Soon the bacteria migrate to parts of the body where symptoms later may occur.

Where you live or vacation can increase your chances of getting Lyme disease and so can the type of outdoor activities you enjoy. The most common risk factors include:

Spending time in grassy or wooded areas in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin particularly during summer months: Deer ticks are most prevalent in these states, but are also found in other areas of the U.S., as well as in Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Only a minority of tick bites lead to Lyme disease, but if you know you've been bitten and experience symptoms - particularly if you live in or have traveled to an area where Lyme disease is prevalent - you should see your physician immediately. Treatment for Lyme disease is most effective if begun early. Tick bites also can be the cause of other illnesses, such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever. See your doctor if you have any tick bite that concerns you.

Symptoms of Lyme disease may disappear spontaneously, but that doesn't mean the disease is gone. Left untreated, Lyme disease can spread to the rest of your body within six months to two years, causing arthritis and nervous system problems.

Lyme disease can sometimes be difficult to diagnose. Its varying symptoms mimic other conditions, including viral infection, various joint disorders, muscle pain, or chronic fatigue syndrome. Remember, not all people with Lyme disease develop the same symptoms.

The blood test most often used to screen for Lyme disease is called an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). It detects antibodies to the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. A diagnostic test to confirm a positive blood test has been developed as well, the Western blot.

Antibiotics are the standard treatment for Lyme disease in its early stages. Treatment with antibiotics for several weeks usually cures the infection and prevents complications. It's important to take the full course of medications; for treatment to be most successful, do not discontinue taking these medication prematurely.

If the disease has progressed to a later stage, the brain, nerves, heart, or joints may be affected. Hospitalization may be necessary in some cases.

It is a good idea to shower immediately after leaving wooded or grassy areas, as ticks often remain on your skin for many hours before biting.

Check yourself and your pets for ticks after being in wooded or grassy areas. Deer ticks may be no larger than the head of a pin, so look carefully.

Remove a tick with tweezers by gently grasping it near its head or mouth. Do not squeeze or crush the tick, but pull carefully and steadily. Once you have the entire tick removed, apply antiseptic to the bite area.

For information on mosquitoes, contact the Memphis and Shelby County Health Department's Vector Control Section at (901) 324-5547. For St. Louis Encephalitis information, contact the Epidemiology Section at (901) 576-7717.

Meningitis is an infection of the fluid of a person's spinal cord and the fluid that surrounds the brain. People sometimes refer to it as spinal meningitis. Meningitis is usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection. Knowing whether meningitis is caused by a virus or bacterium is important because the severity of illness and the treatment differ.

Viral meningitis is generally less severe and resolves without specific treatment, while bacterial meningitis can be quite severe and may result in brain damage, hearing loss, or learning disability. For bacterial meningitis, it is also important to know which type of bacteria is causing the meningitis because antibiotics can prevent some types from spreading and infecting other people.

Before the 1990s, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) was the leading cause of bacterial meningitis, but new vaccines being given to all children as part of their routine immunizations have reduced the occurrence of invasive disease due to H. influenzae. Today, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis are the leading causes of bacterial meningitis.

High fever, headache, and stiff neck are common symptoms of meningitis in anyone over the age of two years. These symptoms can develop over several hours, or they may take one to two days to appear. Other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, discomfort looking into bright lights, confusion, and sleepiness.

In newborns and small infants, the classic symptoms of fever, headache, and neck stiffness may be absent or difficult to detect, and the infant may only appear slow or inactive, be irritable, have vomiting, or be feeding poorly.

Early diagnosis and treatment are very important. If symptoms occur, the patient should see a doctor immediately. The diagnosis is usually made by growing bacteria from a sample of spinal fluid. The spinal fluid is obtained by performing a spinal tap, in which a needle is inserted into an area in the lower back where fluid in the spinal canal is readily accessible. Identification of the type of bacteria responsible is important for selection of correct antibiotics.

Bacterial meningitis can be treated with a number of effective antibiotics. It is important, however, that treatment be started early in the course of the disease. Appropriate antibiotic treatment of most common types of bacterial meningitis should reduce the risk of dying from meningitis to below 15%, although the risk is higher among the elderly.

Yes, some forms of bacterial meningitis are contagious. The bacteria are spread through the exchange of respiratory and throat secretions (i.e., coughing and kissing). Fortunately, none of the bacteria that cause meningitis are as contagious as things like the common cold or the flu, and they are not spread by casual contact or by simply breathing the air where a person with meningitis has been.

However, sometimes the bacteria that cause meningitis have spread to other people who have had close or prolonged contact with a patient with meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis (also called meningococcal meningitis) or Hib. People in the same household or day care center, or anyone with direct contact with a patient's oral secretions (such as a boyfriend or girlfriend) would be considered at increased risk of acquiring the infection. People who qualify as close contacts of a person with meningitis caused by N. meningitidis should receive antibiotics to prevent them from getting the disease. Antibiotics for contacts of a person with Hib meningitis disease are no longer recommended if all contacts 4 years of age or younger are fully vaccinated against Hib disease.

Yes, there are vaccines against Hib and against some strains of N. meningitidis and many types of Streptococcus pneumoniae. The vaccines against Hib are very safe and highly effective. There is also a vaccine that protects against four strains of N. meningitidis, but it is not routinely used in the United States. Meningitis cases should be reported to state or local health departments to assure follow-up of close contacts and recognize outbreaks.

College freshman, especially those who live in dormitories are at higher risk for meningococcal disease and should be educated about the availability of a safe and effective vaccine which can decrease their risk. Travelers should receive the vaccine at least one week before departure, if possible.

For more information about meningitis and other diseases in our community, contact the Memphis and Shelby County Health Department, Epidemiology Section, at (901) 544-7717 during normal business hours, Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm.

Mosquitoes can be pests and often interfere with the quality of life. Most important, mosquitoes are known carriers of diseases to humans. The more severe human diseases transmitted by mosquitoes are St. Louis encephalitis, Western Equine encephalitis, and possibly West Nile encephalitis. These viruses are transmitted by mosquitoes and can be fatal to humans and other animals.

Most mosquitoes are active at dusk and just before dawn. They also prefer areas that are shady, humid, and where there is little wind. The best protection would be to stay inside after dusk and just before dawn. However, this would be a very restrictive life style and not possible for many.

The Memphis & Shelby County Health Department's Mosquito Control Program has a very aggressive surveillance component with great emphasis placed on obtaining accurate intelligence on local mosquito activities.

Female mosquitoes are the ones that bite. A "blood meal" is required in order to develop eggs. 24 hours after hatching, a female mosquito flies off in search of a meal. She searches for body odor, moisture, warmth, and the carbon dioxide we exhale. When she bites, she injects a bit of saliva that slows coagulation so blood flows freely. Your body's allergic reaction to the saliva is what causes the welt and the itch later on.

It is a common type of bacteria. Most refer to these bacteria as staph (pronounced staff). It is normal to find different types of staph bacteria on the skin and in the nose. It is also found in our lungs and intestines.

In the community most MRSA infections are skin infections that may appear as pustules or boils which often are red, swollen, painful, or have pus or other drainage. These skin infections commonly occur at sites of visible skin trauma, such as cuts and abrasions, and areas of the body covered by hair (i.e., the back of the neck, groin, buttocks, armpits, and - for men - the beard area).

Almost all MRSA skin infections can be effectively treated by drainage of pus with or without antibiotics. More serious infections, such as pneumonia, bloodstream infections, or bone infections, are very rare in healthy people who get MRSA skin infections.

Practicing good hygiene (i.e., keeping your hands clean by washing with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, and showering immediately after participating in exercise or playing sports)

Covering skin trauma such as abrasions or cuts with a clean dry bandage until healed

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in most cases, it is not necessary to close schools because of an MRSA infection in a student. It is important to note that MRSA transmission can be prevented by simple measures such as hand hygiene and covering infections.

Covering infections will greatly reduce the risks of surfaces becoming contaminated with MRSA. In general it is not necessary to close schools to "disinfect" them when MRSA infections occur. MRSA skin infections are transmitted primarily by skin-to-skin contact and contact with surfaces that have come into contact with someone else's infection.

When MRSA skin infections occur, cleaning and disinfection should be performed on surfaces that are likely to contact uncovered or poorly covered infections. Cleaning surfaces with detergent-based cleaners or Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered disinfectants is effective at removing MRSA from the environment. Bleach and water is an inexpensive way to clean, and spraying it on surfaces is very effective. It is important to read the instruction labels on all cleaners to make sure they are used safely and appropriately. Environmental cleaners and disinfectants should not be used to treat infections. The EPA provides a list of EPA-registered products effective against MRSA.

According to the CDC, it should not be necessary to inform the entire school community about a single MRSA infection. When an MRSA infection occurs within the school population, the school nurse, and school physician should determine - based on their medical judgment - whether some or all students, parents, and staff should be notified. Consultation with the local public health authorities should be used to guide this decision. Remember that staphylococcus (staph) bacteria, including MRSA, have been and remain a common cause of skin infections.

Unless directed by a physician, students with MRSA infections should not be excluded from attending school. Exclusion from school should be reserved for those with wound drainage (pus) that cannot be covered and contained with a clean, dry bandage and for those who cannot maintain good personal hygiene.

Students with active infections should be excluded from activities where skin-to-skin contact is likely to occur (i.e., sports) until their infections are healed, however as long as the infection site is well covered, the student may attend regular classes.

During the permit period, the fire department with jurisdiction in your area must be notified each day before burning begins and again when burning ends for the day. Also, someone must be at the site to monitor the pit when burning is taking place. The operator is responsible for compliance with all rules and regulations governing open burning permits and any damages, injuries, or claims resulting from such burn.

The Pollution Control Section is responsible for protecting Shelby County's air quality. Requiring a source (or a business) to obtain an open burning permit ensures compliance with the established rules, thereby, decreasing the impact on nearby residents and maintaining overall air quality.

The section has the right to conduct routine inspections as deemed necessary. The section may suspend or revoke any open burning permit if the permit holder fails to comply with the provisions, stipulations, or compliance schedules specified in the permit. The Memphis Shelby County Air Code provides for civil penalties of up to $25,000 per day for each day of violation.

Ozone is a gas that occurs both in the Earth's upper atmosphere and at ground level. Ozone can be "good" or "bad" for people's health and for the environment, depending on its location in the atmosphere.

In the troposphere, the air closest to the Earth's surface, ground-level or "bad" ozone is a pollutant that is a significant health risk, especially for children with asthma . It also damages crops, trees, and other vegetation. It is a main ingredient of urban smog.

Motor vehicle exhaust and industrial emissions, gasoline vapors, and chemical solvents as well as natural sources emit NOx and VOC that help form ozone. Ground-level ozone is the primary constituent of smog. Sunlight and hot weather cause ground-level ozone to form in harmful concentrations in the air. As a result, it is known as a summertime air pollutant.

Ground-level ozone pollution is formed when emissions from everyday items combine with other pollutants and cook in the heat and sunlight. Sources of such emissions include local industry, gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles and lawn equipment, and household paints, stains, and solvents.

Weather plays a key role in ozone formation. The highest ozone levels are usually recorded in summer months when temperatures approach the high 80s and 90s and when the wind is stagnant or light.

At ground level, ozone pollution is harmful to all of us, especially the young and elderly. Ozone can also trigger attacks and symptoms in individuals with pre-existing health conditions, such as bronchitis, emphysema, asthma or other respiratory infections. Even for those individuals considered healthy, breathing ozone can trigger a variety of health problems including chest pain, coughing, throat irritation, and congestion. Ground-level ozone also can reduce lung function and inflame the linings of the lungs. Repeated exposure may permanently scar lung tissue.

High levels of ozone pollution often affect healthy people who work or exercise outdoors and can cause breathing difficulties, eye irritation, and reduced resistance to lung infections and colds with exposure for prolonged periods. It can worsen pre-existing health conditions for many individuals with various respiratory illnesses.

People with lung disease, children, older adults, and people who are active can be affected when ozone levels are unhealthy. Numerous scientific studies have linked ground-level ozone exposure to a variety of problems, including:

Lung irritation that can cause inflammation much like a sunburn

Wheezing, coughing, pain when taking a deep breath, and breathing difficulties during exercise or outdoor activities

Permanent lung damage to those with repeated exposure to ozone pollution

Every year due to a combination of the nature of summer heat in Memphis, weather trends, and vehicle and industrial emissions, ozone levels can be high. This causes a problem in meeting Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards.

The Mid-South Clean Air Coalition is an open gathering of public and private organizations working collectively to improve local air quality. The Memphis and Shelby County Health Department Air Pollution Section and state and federal agencies work in concert with the coalition to focus on two primary areas: compliance and public outreach.

The Mid-South Clean Air Coalition is asking citizens to take care of their summer air by making voluntary changes in behavior to ensure that Shelby and Crittenden County have clean air and meet federal air quality standards.

Ozone season runs from April through September. During this time, the Mid-South Clean Air Coalition will work with meteorologists at the Memphis and Shelby County Health Department to issue Ozone Action Alerts, notifying the public when ozone levels could potentially reach unhealthy levels. During an ozone action alert, you can make a special effort in taking some simple actions including:

Stop at the click - do not overfill gas tanks when refueling.

Keep vehicles regularly maintained.

Tighten gas caps after refueling.

Mow your grass in the evening.

Refuel your vehicle in the evening.

Use new earth-friendly lawn equipment such as electric or manual devices.

Turn your vehicle off when idling for more than 30 seconds.

Share a ride by carpooling or vanpooling. Call (901) 544-7741 for assistance.

Pertussis, commonly called whooping cough, is a very contagious disease. It is caused by a bacterium (germ) that attacks the upper respiratory tract after entering the nose or throat. Pertussis is usually mild in older children and adults, but it can cause serious problems in very young children (i.e., infants under 1 year of age). Pertussis can be serious, especially for infants. It can cause breathing problems (apnea), pneumonia, and swelling of the brain (encephalopathy), which can lead to seizures and brain damage. Pertussis can also cause death (rarely), especially in very young infants.

Persons of any age can get pertussis, however, young infants are at greatest danger of getting the disease and suffer the most serious complications. In the past, most cases occurred in children less than 5 years of age. Recently, more cases are also being reported among adolescents and adults. Pertussis most often affects persons without any pertussis vaccination, those persons with incomplete vaccinations, and those older persons who were previously immunized as children.

Transmission occurs from person to person when germs pass from an infected person into the nose or throat of others. Pertussis can be transmitted by direct contact or through the air. Pertussis is highly infectious (easy to spread) and can infect up to 70 - 100% of close household contacts who have not received all of their vaccinations.

Older children or adults often have no symptoms or will only have mild symptoms such as a nagging cough. These older persons with infectious pertussis can transmit to other unprotected persons, especially infants.

The symptoms of pertussis occur in phases. The first phase, which lasts one to two weeks, is usually with mild upper respiratory symptoms (cold like symptoms with occasional mild cough). During the second phase, which lasts one to six weeks, the cough can progress to severe spasms often with the characteristic respiratory whoop, followed by vomiting. Fever is minimal. Older children and adults may have persistent cough with no whoop. During the third phase, which can last for several months, there is gradual reduction of the coughing spasms. Generally, the duration of pertussis is six to 10 weeks with more than half of the cases lasting less than six weeks.

The first cold-like symptoms usually occur five to 10 days, or up to 21 days, following exposure to an infected person. During this time, few people suspect that the cold symptom or mild cough is pertussis, yet they are highly infectious to others.

Pertussis is usually diagnosed by a doctor, based on history of symptoms, a physical examination, and supporting laboratory tests. Two common lab procedures used are culture tests using bacteria specimens taken from the nose or throat and blood tests. Laboratory tests are often necessary for pertussis because other germs can produce somewhat similar symptoms.

There is no cure for pertussis. Antibiotics are given to help prevent the spread of pertussis from respiratory secretions to others, and if started early enough, can also help to make the disease less severe. Antibiotics are usually taken for at least 14 days. Close contacts to pertussis cases, regardless of pertussis vaccination status, need to receive antibiotics and perhaps receive a booster dose of a pertussis-containing vaccine. Patients and contacts need to be under the care of a doctor.

A person with pertussis can be infectious (spread the disease) from five days after first exposure up to 21 days after the severe coughing spasms begin. Persons are also infectious during the cold-symptom phase of the disease before they realize they have pertussis.

Children or other persons with pertussis, or their unprotected contacts, should be excluded from school or other settings where people congregate, for up to 14 days after exposure. They can usually return to school / work after taking physician prescribed antibiotics for five consecutive days.

The best way to prevent pertussis is to ensure that children receive the recommended vaccines to prevent this disease. Persons with pertussis should be isolated from other persons. After close contact exposure to an infected person, some protection may result if 14 days of antibiotics are quickly begun. Currently licensed vaccines containing pertussis are not administered to persons after their seventh birthday.

All children should receive a series of five doses of a vaccine containing pertussis such as Diphtheria, Tetanus, and acellular Pertussis vaccine (DTaP); Diphtheria, Tetanus, and acellular Pertussis vaccine (DTP); or combinations of other vaccines that contain DTaP or DTP.

Most people have no serious reactions to this vaccine. Vaccines containing pertussis (DTaP or DTP) can cause temporary mild side effects such as a sore arm or leg, fever, fuzziness, and tiredness. This vaccine rarely causes temporary but more serious reactions such as excessive crying, very high fever, and limpness. Very rarely these vaccines can cause breathing difficulty or shock, long seizure, coma, or loss of consciousness. Generally, using DTaP vaccine will reduce the likelihood of reactions in children.

Pneumonic plague occurs when Yersinia pestis infects the lungs. The first signs of illness in pneumonic plague are fever, headache, weakness, and cough productive of bloody or watery sputum. The pneumonia progresses over two to four days and may cause septic shock and, without early treatment, death.

The purpose of the Memphis and Shelby County MRC is to assist the local community during a public health emergency by providing a rapid, coordinated, and specific response using locally recruited medical, mental health, public health, and non-medical support volunteers.

There are six municipalities in Memphis and Shelby County and a population of nearly 1.2 million often swelling to an even larger number of commuters from surrounding counties that work, worship, and play in Shelby County. In response to a mass casualty event, Health Department personnel would require the assistance of thousands of trained medical and non-medical volunteers to support local response efforts.

No. Memphis and Shelby County is a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and a Cities Readiness Initiative pilot site that is responsible for providing prophylaxis to surrounding counties that include: Fayette, Tipton, Crittenden, Marshall, Tate, and Tunica in a 48-hour time frame. In order to meet this challenge, volunteers are needed from surrounding areas.

All emergency support organizations have specific roles. The Medical Reserve Corps provides disaster medical response support including of dispensing medications and vaccinations to large populations in a specific time period.

Register online at TN Volunteer Mobilizer. This is a secured website. You will be asked a series of questions that include your street address, date of birth, specialized skills, and a contact number that you can be reached at 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For medical professionals, license number(s) and expiration date(s) will also be needed.This process takes about five to 10 minutes to complete.

Yes, all volunteers are expected to accept the emergency request. However, as a volunteer your deployments are strictly voluntary and participants have the right to decide whether or not to accept the emergency assignment if sent out of the area.

In 1997, President Clinton signed into law The Volunteer Protection Act of 1997, which states that volunteers for governmental entities cannot be held liable for any harm that they may cause while engaged in that volunteer activity; except for a harm caused by gross negligence, willful or criminal misconduct, reckless misconduct, or conscious, flagrant indifference to the rights or safety of the individual harmed by the volunteer. As a Shelby County MRC volunteer, you are not exposing yourself to additional legal liability. For more information, read the Volunteer Protection Act of 1997.

Yes, volunteers in the United States may receive tax deductions from the federal government with incurred costs associated with volunteering, such as mileage, parking, and other travel expenses. For more information, visit the IRS's Publication #526 - Charitable Contributions.

Yes, the Memphis and Shelby County Health Department's Rodent Control Program will promptly respond to citizen complaints and will examine the property for rodent activity. Trained staff will provide information about reduction in rodent activity and if necessary will apply EPA-certified rodenticides (rat poison) and traps in emergency situations to eliminate serious uncontrolled rat infestations. For additional information or to file a complaint call please call (901) 324-5922.

Initial symptoms of smallpox include high fever, fatigue, and head and back aches. A characteristic rash, most prominent on the face, arms, and legs, follows in two to three days. The rash starts with flat red lesions that evolve at the same rate. Lesions become pus-filled and begin to crust early in the second week. Scabs develop and then separate and fall off after three to four weeks. The majority of patients with smallpox recover, but death occurs in up to 30% of cases.

Smallpox is spread from one person to another by infected saliva droplets that expose a susceptible person having face-to-face contact with the ill person. Persons with smallpox are most infectious during the first week of illness, because that is when the largest amount of virus is present in saliva. However, some risk of transmission lasts until all scabs have fallen off.

There is no proven treatment for smallpox, but research to evaluate new antiviral agents is ongoing. Patients with smallpox can benefit from supportive therapy and antibiotics for any secondary bacterial infections that occur.

St. Louis encephalitis (SLE) is an inflammation of the brain. This viral infection is transmitted only by the bite of infective mosquitoes. SLE is transmitted by mosquitoes from the culex genus whose feeding activity is most intense during cooler temperatures at dusk, night, and at dawn. Mosquitoes become infected by feeding on birds infected with the St. Louis encephalitis virus.

When the virus enters the blood stream, it may localize in the brain causing inflammation of the brain cells and surrounding membranes. The brain tissue swells and can cause destruction of nerve cells, bleeding within the brain, and brain damage.

To contract SLE, you have to be bitten by an infected mosquito. Although the percentage of people who are bitten by an infected mosquito and actually get SLE is low, proper precautions should still taken in areas where culex genus mosquitoes live. Increased awareness and prevention methods are key to helping keep the number of SLE cases to a minimum.

SLE appears in epidemic form at intervals of approximately 10 years. The last outbreak in Memphis occurred in 1975, with 62 reported cases and 12 fatalities. To date, no cases have been reported in Memphis and Shelby County in over 20 years.

Since 1968, the Memphis and Shelby County Health Department's Mosquito Control Program has been actively involved in SLE surveillance by measuring antibodies to the virus in the blood of wild birds and chickens. These animals serve as a reservoir for the St. Louis encephalitis virus. Positive antibody testing serves as an early warning signal.

Although mosquito control is an important means of decreasing transmission of SLE to humans, personal protective measures are also important. Individuals can help by flushing any standing water in birdbaths, small wading pools, and pets' water bowls, and by adding fresh water daily. This will decrease the potential for mosquito breeding sites.

Although the majority of the cases reported during the outbreak were older adults, young children should not be considered low-risk, since they are a target population by being outdoors frequently.

The incubation period of SLE is between four and 21 days, with most cases being asymptomatic. The signs and symptoms of St. Louis encephalitis may become more severe as the disease progresses. Common symptoms include:

Sudden fever

Drowsiness

Headache

Vomiting

Sensitivity to light

Stiff neck

Symptoms that are serious enough to cause emergency medical attention may also include loss of consciousness, poor responsiveness, coma, seizures, muscle weakness or paralysis, sudden severe dementia, and memory loss (either short term or long term).

Only a rare few mosquito bites lead to SLE. But if you know you've been bitten and experience symptoms of sudden fever, neurological changes, or other symptoms of SLE, go to the emergency room immediately.

A lumbar puncture test and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination are required to detect SLE. Blood may be present in the CSF. Viral cultures of CSF or blood that reveal any type of virus will confirm the diagnosis. Serology tests are often the choice of a health care provider to provide evidence of viral infection. EEG test results that are abnormal may also signal SLE.

Additionally, a cranial MRI or a CT scan of the head may be used to determine the presence or absence of internal bleeding or edema.

If left untreated, permanent neurological impairments, which may include loss of memory, speech difficulty or loss, diminished vision, hearing, and muscle control, can occur in people who survive severe cases of encephalitis.

The goals of treatment are to provide supportive care and relieve symptoms. Antibiotics and/or antiviral medications are the standard treatment along with other medications needed to relieve symptoms. Treatment with antibiotics for several weeks usually cures the infection and prevents complications. It's important to take the full course of medications; for treatment to be most successful, do not discontinue taking these medication prematurely.

If the disease has progressed to a later stage, hospitalization may be necessary in some cases. Rest, nutrition, and plenty of fluids allows the body to fight the infection. Emotional support may also be helpful. If brain function is severely affected, physical therapy and speech therapy may be necessary after the acute illness is controlled.

You can decrease your chances of contracting St. Louis encephalitis by following some simple precautions:

Mosquito-proof your yard by flushing any standing water in birdbaths where mosquitoes breed, twice weekly.

Empty water from small wading pools and store indoors.

If you have an ornamental pool, you can stock the pool with mosquito fish or treat the water with a larval control product.

Provide fresh clean water in pet's bowls daily.

Remove old tires, cans, non-working appliances or containers that will hold water.

Repair leaky plumbing.

Clean out rain gutters.

Ensure proper screening around door and windows of your home.

When outside, especially during cooler temperatures at dusk, night, and at dawn, wear light-colored clothing, long-sleeved shirts, and long pants. Try to avoid walking through low bushes and tall grass where there may standing water.

Use insect repellents during the peak feeding times. Use EPA-approved products containing DEET with approximately 30% active ingredient. Be sure to follow label instructions carefully. Do not apply directly on the skin of children under the age of five.

For information on mosquitoes, contact the Memphis and Shelby County Health Department's Vector Control Section at (901) 324-5547. For St. Louis encephalitis information, contact the Epidemiology Section at (901) 576-7717.

TB, or tuberculosis, is a disease caused by bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria can attack any part of your body, but they usually attack the lungs. TB disease was once the leading cause of death in the United States. Each year since 2000, Memphis and Shelby County has average a total 80 confirmed cases.

Tuberculosis germs are spread through the air when someone with infectious TB coughs, sneezes, or in some way spreads germs into the air around them. Learn more about the ways TB can and cannot be spread.

Symptoms of tuberculosis (TB) depend on where in the body the TB bacteria are growing. TB bacteria usually grow in the lungs. TB in the lungs may cause a bad cough, pain in the chest, and coughing up blood or sputum.

TB germs can live in your body for a very long time without making you sick. This is called TB infection. Your immune system traps TB germs with special germ fighters. Your germ fighters keep TB germs from making you sick.

Sometimes, the TB germs can break away and spread. Then they cause TB disease. The germs can attack the lungs or other parts of the body. If people have TB disease, they need medicine for six to nine months.

A skin test is the only way to tell if you have TB infection. The test is positive if a bump about the size of a pencil eraser or bigger appears on your arm. This bump means you probably have TB infection. If you have TB infection (a positive skin test reaction) you need to take medicine to keep from developing TB disease. This calls treatment for TB infection and usually lasts from four to nine months.

Yes. Using special drugs that kill TB germs can cure TB disease. It takes at least six to nine months of medication to wipe them all out. If medication is taken properly after one to two weeks, a person with TB disease may no longer be contagious to others. It is very important to take all medication as prescribed.

TB disease can almost always be cured with medicine. But the medicine must be taken as the doctor or nurse tells you.

If you have TB disease, you will need to take several different drugs. Taking several drugs will do a better job of killing all of the bacteria and preventing them from becoming resistant to the drugs.

Some people infected with West Nile virus have no symptoms. Twenty percent of those infected develop West Nile fever. Symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and body aches and occasionally a skin rash and swollen lymph glands. It is estimated that one in 150 people who are infected develop severe disease with headache, high fever, neck stiffness, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, and paralysis. Symptoms may last a few days or several weeks.

Use insect repellent containing DEET. Try to stay indoors in the early morning and evening when mosquito activity is highest. Help to reduce the number of mosquitoes by eliminating standing water in flower pots, pet water dishes, bird baths, buckets, barrels, and cans.

Use tweezers to remove ticks. Grasp the tick close to the skin and pull upward. Do not twist or jerk the tick, which could leave the head embedded. Don’t try to burn it out or smother it with Vaseline. After removing the tick, disinfect the area and wash your hands.

* Commission meetings are held on select Mondays at 3:00 p.m. * Committee meetings are held on Wednesday prior to the Monday's Commission meeting. Committees generally begin at 8:30 a.m. and adjourn once all agenda business has been conducted.

Meetings are held at the Vasco A. Smith, Jr. County Administration Building, located at160 N. Main Street, Memphis, TN 38103. For meeting dates and additional information, please open the Commission & Committee Meetings Schedule above.

To obtain a marriage license in Shelby County, both parties must appear for the issuance of the license. Proof of your Social Security number is required for both parties. Visit our Marriage Licenses page for more information.

If Employed: (6) six most recent check stubs or employer printout SS, SSI, Retirement, and/or Pension (award letter).2) Proof of current mortgage Most recent statement, which shows next due date, last payment, escrow and late charges (if applicable)3) Proof of current homeowners insurance Copy of policy, which shows current coverage dates

No, not at this time. Please check the webpage for the specific Housing program that interests you. You will find an application that can be downloaded on that page or contact information for how to have an application sent to you. Completed applications cannot be returned via email.

If you are approved for work on your home through the Shelby County Rehabilitation Program, you will not pay for anything or pay back anything unless you want to sell the house within the lien period. For the Rehabilitation Program, the lien period if 5 years.

If you live in the City of Memphis, you may qualify for the Shelby County Lead Hazard Control Program. Contact Mr. Safranski Durr at (901) 222-7603 for more information or click on the Lead Program tab.

Only citizens in Shelby County outside of the city of Memphis may qualify for the Shelby County Rehabilitation Program.

The Shelby County Department of Housing does not administer a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Program. Contact the Memphis Housing Authority for information on their Housing Choice Voucher Program at (901) 544-1347.

The Shelby County Department of Housing does not provide mortgage or utility assistance. Contact the Shelby County Community Services Agency at (901) 222-4315 for information about utility assistance or (901) 535-2200 for information about mortgage/rent assistance.

Minimum acceptable qualifications refers to the minimum qualifications that are posted on each job announcement. These qualifications are used to screen each applicant to determine if they are qualified for the position.

If you are a United States Citizen, a resident of Shelby County and at least 18 years of age, you are eligible to be summoned for jury duty. The United States Constitution guarantee all individuals, regardless of race, creed, religion, sex, national origin or economic status the right to trial by jury of one’s peers. In order to uphold this guarantee, we need those summoned to participate in the jury process to ensure every citizen’s right to have his/her case decided by a fair and impartial jury selected from a pool of prospective jurors.

A master list of prospective jurors for the County of Shelby is compiled from the Tennessee Department of Safety. The list includes all citizens over the age of 18, who have either a driver’s license or a state ID. Your name is electronically and randomly selected from the list of names collected from the master list.

Yes. There is no longer an age exemption for individuals 70 years old or older. If you have a medical issue that you feel will create a hardship if required to serve, you may submit or have your physician submit documentation regarding his/her concerns. After documentation is submitted, if you do not receive a response by mail, text or email confirming dismissal, it is your responsibility to contact the Jury Commission for further instructions or you may appear to speak with a judge at Jury Qualification.

You will choose a period of one (1) week to serve, usually beginning on a Monday. This is a one week or one trial jury system. Once seated on a jury trial, your appearance will be required until the completion of the trial. Most cases are only 2 to 5 days in length. Rarely do we have trials which exceed 5 days. If not called to a jury trial by Wednesday of each week, over 85% of the jury pool is dismissed.

A juror is only required to serve once every ten years. If you are summoned before your ten years are up, simply call the Jury Commission to speak with a representative to verify your previous jury service. This does not include serving Federal jury duty.

Only individuals who are legally exempt or disqualified can be excused from jury service, they include:

Convicted Felons

Non-Residents

Non-Citizens

Active Duty Military

Full Time Students

Non-accommodating Medical Conditions

Individuals who served less that ten years ago with the State Court (this excludes Federal Court)

All individuals claiming a legal exemption or disqualification must submit appropriate documentation prior to the Jury Qualification date listed on the summons. After submitting your documentation, if you do not receive a response by mail, text or email confirming dismissal, it is your responsibility to contact the Jury Commission for confirmation or for further instructions. If you do not submit documentation or have not been excused, you MUST APPEAR before a judge at Jury Qualification.

If you are not a resident of Shelby County, you are not eligible to serve as a juror. You must submit one or more of the following to verify your current residence, prior to the appearance date on your summons:

After successfully completing the questionnaire, you should be prompted to choose a future week to serve jury duty. Once your week is selected, your qualification process is complete. You will not be required to appear for Jury Qualification on the date noted on your original jury summons. You will only be required to report for jury service on the date you have chosen.

If you completed the on-line questionnaire and chose a week to report, you are not required to appear for Jury Qualification. You only need to appear for your jury duty service on the date you chose on-line.

BEST PARK $3 - 156 Exchange, Behind St. Mary’s Church, corner of Second and Exchange. In and out privileges allowed. YOU MUST PRESS THE ‘JURY DUTY’ BUTTON FOR DISCOUNT OR PAY $5.00. DISCOUNT IS OFFERED UNTIL 11AM, MONDAY-THURSDAY. TIME EXPIRES AT 6PM

BEST PARK $5 - 81 N. Second Street, Corner of Jefferson and Second Street. In and out privileges allowed

Jurors are expected to dress in a manner that is respectful to the courts. You are encouraged to dress very comfortable. Business attire is not a requirement. Jeans, slacks, T-shirts and sweats are permitted. All pants must go below your ankles. The following items of clothing should NOT be worn:

There are times jurors are required to have long waiting periods while judges and parties related to a case are negotiating. We try to keep waiting times to a minimum, however, some circumstances are beyond the Court’s control. We recommend bringing reading material, crossword puzzles, knitting, lap tops or tablets, etc., to occupy your time while waiting in the Jury Assembly Room.

Jurors should prepare to be available for at least 8 hours each day. You should have child care, pet care, transportation, work schedules and other obligations in order prior to your appearance for jury service. You will not be excused or rescheduled for any of these reasons.

You may bring cell phones. They must be silenced during orientation and turned off prior to entering a courtroom. Should a family member have an emergency and need to contact you, please inform them to call the Jury Commission at 901-222-1650. We will get the message to you as soon as possible, even if in a courtroom.

According to the pay law, jurors are paid $11 for each day of jury service. Jurors who have been sworn by a Judge to serve on a sequestered trial will be paid $30 for each day of service, until the completion of the trial. Checks are mailed to the address on file 10-15 working days after Friday of each week.

If you are a full-time or part-time employee, your employer is required by Tennessee Code Annotated-Title 22 to pay your normal salary. (Please note: Your employer is not required to pay commission or overtime, even if you normally work overtime. If you need further information, you may call the Jury Commission to speak with a Coordinator.

You must notify your employer when you are scheduled to appear for jury service. An employer cannot terminate an employee for serving jury duty. An employer who penalizes, terminates or makes threats of termination is subject to contempt of court.

If you have an emergency arises or if you have questions regarding your jury service, you can call the Jury Commission at 901-222-1650, between the hours of 8am and 4:30pm. A representative is available to assist during regular business hours. Jurors should not use email to contact the Jury Commission in the event of an emergency.

Children are not allowed to come to jury duty. Please make arrangements for childcare, pick-up and drop-off, after school care, etc., prior to your jury service. Shelby County Government does not provide childcare of any kind while serving jury duty.

In the event of schools in Shelby County closing because of inclement weather, you are not required to report at your scheduled time. If you do not receive a text message or email from the Jury Commission, you must call 901-222-1650 before 10am, for further instructions. If you are serving on a trial, you will get instructions from the judge. You may also listen for court cancellations on your local news stations.

After receiving your summons in the mail, if you have access to a computer you can complete the questionnaire online. If you feel you are disqualified or should be excused from serving jury duty, you must submit documentation supporting your request to be excused or disqualified, prior to the Jury Qualification date listed on the summons. If you do don’t receive a response by mail, text or email confirming dismissal, it is your responsibility to contact the Jury Commission for confirmation or for further instructions, otherwise you will be required to appear for Jury Qualification as stated on your summons.

If you don’t have access to a computer, you must appear before a judge to present proper documentation and discuss reasons for dismissal.

You may complete the qualification process online to avoid appearing for your scheduled Jury Qualification. If you don’t have access to a computer and cannot appear for Jury Qualification, you must call the Jury Commission for further instructions.

THE DATE YOU CHOOSE IS THE DATE YOU MUST SERVE. You will not be excused or rescheduled due to any reason other than a medical emergency or the death of a family member. You can call the Jury Commission to speak with a Coordinator in the event of this type of emergency..

While understanding jury duty is not convenient and can cause hardships, it is still the duty and responsibility of every citizen of this country to serve when called. Failure to appear for jury service when summoned is a serious matter. If you do not complete the questionnaire online, do not appear for Jury Qualification or your scheduled jury service, your appearance before a court will be mandatory. You will be required to show cause for your failure to appear and/or be held in contempt of court.

Being declared disabled is not an exemption. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Shelby County Government is required to provide reasonable accommodations to all citizens call to serve jury duty. Any persons needing a special accommodation should contact the Jury Commission prior to Jury Qualification. If your physician feels you should not serve because of a medical condition, he/she should provide a letter to the courts prior to your scheduled Jury Qualification. If you do don’t receive a response by mail, text or email confirming dismissal, it is your responsibility to contact the Jury Commission for further instructions.

This is not an exemption or disqualification. You do not need to speak perfect English to serve as a juror. The courts use common, everyday language that can be understood and at times, will provide an interpreter if required to serve on a trial. If you can not understand English at all, you will need to appear before a judge at your scheduled Jury Qualification. You may bring a friend or family member who speaks English, to assist with your request.

No. The staff of the Jury Commission or the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office will never call to ask for personal information such as social security, credit card or bank account numbers. Do not provide this type of information to anyone claiming to be associated with the Courts of Shelby County. Should you receive a call, contact the Memphis Police Department’s Fraud Unit at 901-222-5600. You may also call the Jury Commission for further information.

You must appear for Jury Qualification to discuss any hardships that you feel jury duty may create if required to serve. The judge will give you an opportunity to discuss your personal hardships and present any supporting documentation to show as verification.

When you have completed your jury service, you can log on to the website ejuror.shelbycountytn.gov to print verification of each day you've served. You may also come to the Jury Commission to get a letter or call 901-222-1650, to have it mailed or faxed to you.

No. If you legally reside in Shelby County, you are required to fulfill your jury duty obligations in Shelby County. If you own property, are registered to vote, have driver's license or state ID or have vehicles registered in Shelby County, you are required to serve.

At age 16 if that age at the time of the offense, or younger than 16 if charged with the most serious offenses, such as first and second degree murder, rape, aggravated rape, rape of a child aggravated kidnapping, aggravated robbery, or especially aggravated offenses such as robbery and kidnapping. Rarely is a youth under 15 prosecuted as an adult although there are some instances involving the most serious offenses.

Parents and/or legal guardians have the right to be notified and kept informed about all the procedural steps involved in a delinquency case and they often participate in the resolution by helping enforce probation requirements or getting special help such as counseling or substance abuse treatment for their child. In dependency and neglect cases, parents are also entitled to legal representation if they are indigent.

When a juvenile has been found guilty of an offense such as vandalism or theft of property, he or she can be required to pay for the damage or loss. Such payments are to make restitution or to restore to the victim full or partial compensation for the damage or loss.

Through collaboration and partnerships with other agencies and community-based organizations Juvenile Court helps identify youths with threshold offenses such as truancy and vandalism. The Court also connects youths who have mental health and substance abuse issues with community resources. The purpose of these efforts is to intervene early in the juvenile's life pattern with the goal of preventing him or her from "graduating" into more serious offenses and getting deeper into the juvenile justice system.

A child adjudicated delinquent or found guilty of committing an offense that if committed by an adult would be a crime has several options depending on the nature of the offense and his or her history with the Court. A child might be placed on unsupervised probation and required to perform community service if the charge is less serious and it is a first time offense. Depending on the charge, a juvenile might be placed on supervised probation and required to wear an electronic monitor. On more serious offenses, the juvenile could be committed to the Department of Children's Services where he or she might be housed in a secure facility. On the most serious charges, a juvenile can be transferred to the adult system where all further proceedings take place in the Criminal Court.

A juvenile transferred to the adult system can be sentenced to prison. However, persons who are sentenced for crimes committed while they were juveniles cannot be sentenced to life without parole or to death.

Yes. A juvenile who turns 18 can petition the Court for expunction if he or she is one year removed from the most serious offense, has not been convicted of a crime following transfer to the adult system, has not been convicted of a sexual offense or of a violent sexual offense, and has maintained a good record of responsible conduct for at least one year before filling the petition.

The best way to help children is to make sure that they feel safe (for example, creating a predictable environment, encouraging them to express their feelings by listening and hearing their stories) and ensuring that they know that the violence they witnessed or experienced was not their fault. Ways you can help children cope with the impact of exposure to violence include:

Remaining calm and reinforcing a stable and safe environment;

Keeping a regular schedule or routine for meals, quiet time, playtime, and bedtime;

Teen Plus through the Office of Early Childhood and Youth is a collaboration of community partners working together to provide a coordinated system of care for teen parents by assisting teens with access to prenatal care, promoting healthy decisions for healthy birth outcomes, attainment of educational goals, and access to programs that promote positive early childhood development. For more information or assistance, call (901) 222-3990.

The Office of Early Childhood and Youth provides outreach into the community to talk about its various programs and key messages intended to impact the lives of children and youth, such as, the affect violence has on children and the community as a whole, teen pregnancy and parenting, early childhood development, etc. We work collaboratively with many social service agencies in the Memphis and Shelby County area and can inform you about opportunities to enhance your community’s awareness. To find out about upcoming training opportunities or to schedule a speaker, call (901) 222-3990.

Contact jail information at (901) 545-5660 or go directly to the Shelby County Sheriff's Office website. As a rule, Pretrial Services does not provide this information to the general public due to volume.

If they violated their probation due to committing another crime, you should contact the Memphis Police Department at (901) 545-2677 or the Shelby County Sheriff's Office at (901) 379-7625 to file a report of the crime. Probation and/or the conditional release will be addressed based on the new charges.

The online database goes back to 1970. Use Case Information to search for files closed before September 30, 2013. Use Case Information II to search for files that are still open or were closed on or after October 1, 2013.

You will need the docket number in order to view documents. Use Case Information or Case Information II to obtain the docket number. Select "View Documents". Type in the docket number. For example if the docket number is D-14544, you would type D0014544. Click submit. All documents scanned will be available unless they are under seal. Wills are not available on the website. You must call (901) 222-3760 and order a copy of a will if you need it.

In general, a person has the right to represent oneself in legal proceedings. However, this is discouraged. Persons representing themselves are taking a serious risk in doing so. Legal proceedings involve statutes, court rules, deadlines; and other factors of which non-lawyers may not be aware. A person representing oneself is held to the same standards as if he or she is a lawyer. The judge is not allowed to give advice to the individual who attempts to represent oneself. Also, it is important to understand that the Courts will not allow a person to represent oneself in his or her capacity as a fiduciary, such as executor, administrator, conservator, or guardian. The reason for this distinction is that in those capacities there are other people involved, such as heirs, beneficiaries under a will, or creditors. While serving as a fiduciary the person is not just representing oneself and therefore must have an attorney.

This is a procedure allowed for estates totaling less than $50,000. Real estate cannot be listed on the affidavit. The forms can be obtained from the Clerk's Office at:140 AdamsRoom 124Memphis, TN 38103

Contact the Clerk's Office at (901) 222-3750 for details. The cost is $107.50.

There are different types of costs. There are court costs. Unless there are many claims and other litigation the total court costs should be less than four hundred ($400.00) dollars. Then there are other fees that are dependent on the size and nature of assets. These fees are typically incurred for legal proceedings, for appraisals of real and personal property, and for preparations of tax returns. No two estates are alike and it is very difficult if not impossible to determine what is average. Then too, there are costs incurred in actually transferring assets. The probate process gives some one or ones the right to transfer assets. There are additional costs involved in order to exercise this right. A full list of court costs is located on this website. These costs DO NOT include attorney fees.

You must have a Petition and Order ready to be presented to the judge. The forms can be found at Forms page or can be obtained from the Clerk’s Office. It costs $166.50 to do a name change. You DO NOT have to have an attorney. For more information please see the Name Change Information.

CORRECTING BIRTH RECORDA correction of a birth record is different from a change of name in that an error has been made and needs correcting. For example, the birthday is the 5th instead of the 6th or the name was misspelled. You will need to bring your birth certificate and a second form of identification. The cost for correcting a birth record is $166.50.

NOTE: If you are changing the name of a minor child, both parents must be present OR have a notarized statement from the absent parent.

If you have questions that are not answered here please feel free to email our office at ProbateHelp@shelbycountytn.gov or call us at 901-222-3750. The Clerks Office will make every attempt to respond to your question within 48 hours.

Make an appointment with the Retirement Office no later than 3 months prior to your expected retirement date. Please contact our office at 901-222-1950, or you may e-mail our office at retirement.office@shelbycountytn.gov.

At the time of your appointment, you will be provided with a retirement packet and pension estimate. However, if you would like to download a packet ahead of your appointment, you may click on the link below.

Notify your payroll representative or office of your anticipated retirement date so that your final pay, vacation and bonus time may be properly calculated and paid out. It is best to notify your payroll office as soon as your retirement packet is turned in to the Retirement Office. Failure to notify your payroll office will delay the timely process of receiving your first pension payment.

In order to facilitate meeting deadlines and not create an interruption in your health and life insurance benefits, your last working day should be the last day of the month, making your retirement date the first day of the next month.

You will need to provide all required documents when you turn your retirement packet in to our office. We will not accept an incomplete packet. A complete list of required documents can be found in the retirement packet and listed below for your convenience. We do not require original documents, copies may be provided.

Marriage License

Divorce Decree (If Divorced)

Birth Certificate

Spouse’s Birth Certificate

Social Security Card

Spouse’s Social Security Card

Death Certificate (If applicable to your spouse)

Medicare Card if over 65 for retiree and spouse

Once you have turned in your packet with all required documents we will begin processing your retirement. Your paperwork will then go before the Shelby County Pension Board for approval. The Shelby County Retirement System’s Pension Board meets the first Tuesday of each month, unless rescheduled for the second Tuesday. After approved, you will receive an “Option Letter” with an “Option Form” from our office directing you to sign, date and choose the appropriate pension option. You must return your “Option Form” as quickly as possible in order for us set you up for payroll. After we received your “Option Form”, we will then send you an “Award Letter”. Please review the letter for accuracy and notify our office of any discrepancies. You will be asked to supply a copy of this letter for various reasons to prove income, please retain for your records. No pension funds can be paid from the System until approved by the Pension Board. Click on the link below for a complete schedule of Pension Board meeting dates.

You will need to call our office if you are going to retirement within the next three months to find out the amount. If you’re not retiring in the next three month, please email us with your anticipated date of retirement and we will happy to mail you an estimate within three to five days of receiving the email or use our Retirement Member Web Services Application.

You could be entitled to a refund of the pension value or a monthly benefit from the plan in which you enrolled.

If you terminate employment before 7 ½ years of credited service, there will be no benefit available to you except your contributions plus interest.

If you terminate employment after completed of 7 ½ years of credited service, but before attaining age 55, you have the option of a refund of contributions or rolling the amount over. (Restrictions do apply)

The following applies to employees who terminate employment: either by voluntary resignation, or terminated for cause.

Termination prior to your vesting period (7 ½ years of service) will result in a refund or rollover of your contributions plus interest. Taxes consequences apply to all refunds, please be sure to read the following.

Refunds are subject to a 20% withholding tax deducted prior to you receiving your check, and may be subject to a 10% early withdrawal fee applied by the Internal Revenue Service.

You may choose to rollover your funds to another qualified plan, IRA, or the County’s Deferred Compensation Plan. No tax consequences apply when rolling funds over.

Shelby County Government currently allows for payment of unused sick leave to immediate or deferred retirements. Immediate retirements will receive their payouts within 6 weeks of retirement. Deferred retirements will not receive payouts until the date they become eligible to retire.

In order to be eligible for a sick leave payout your salary must be under $60,000for a period of 5 years prior to retirement. Sick leave payout is based on an annual salary amount of $20,000 and is only payable for up to 75 days. Payments are process by the Finance Department and will be mailed to the retiree in a separate check to their address on file. For further information regarding sick leave payouts, consulted your employee handbook. Sick leave payouts are not a pension benefit; therefore, the Retirement Office does not set the eligibility rules or process the payment.

If you have had any unpaid leave during your employment, there will be an adjustment to your credited pension service credit time. Please make sure that you have considered the adjustment when preparing to retire. Falling short on credited pension service time will delay your eligibility to retire.

If you are not married, you can leave the pension to anyone you wish. Take into consideration, that if you leave your pension to a child, your amount will be greatly reduced based on life expectancy and the age difference between you and the child.

If you are married at the time of retirement, you will have to leave your pension to your spouse, unless your spouse opts out of taking the pension. He or she can only opt out at the time of your retirement and would need to make an appointment and meet with the Retirement Manager.

If you are separated, you will need to obtain a divorce before retiring if you don’t want the spouse to get your pension.

Under Plan A and C, retirees have to be 65 before December 31 of the current year to be eligible for a COLA. The COLA is calculated based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The Retirement board and the County Commissioners approve COLA.

1. After you submit your application, you will receive an email confirmation. After the County Commission reviews your application, you will receive notification indicating whether your grant request has been approved or declined. Each commissioner may set the frequency and process in which application determinations are submitted to the full Commission for approval. Grant checks will be mailed directly to the recipient organization at the address listed in the grant application. Please allow 2 to 4 weeks for delivery.

For any grant request under $25,000, the organization may submit an annual reporting detailing all receipts and expenditures, such as a Form 990. Any request over $25,000, shall include a copy of the annual audit.

No. The Shelby County Board of Commissioners does not fund organizations with a pending status. Only organizations that are verified with a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) designation, as determined by IRS are eligible for to receive donations.

Regretfully, we are unable to provide full funding support for your program at this time. We receive many more grant request than we are able to fund. We wish you success in securing additional financial support for your program.

Once the application is completed online, you will need to click the “Submit” button at the bottom of the application to submit your application electronically on the internet. Once your application has been submitted, a confirmation page will appear thanking you for the submission.

No, your application is not saved automatically. However, you may receive an email of the submitted application by selecting “Receive Email Copy” at the end of the application. Additionally, a confirmation page will appear once the application has been submitted.

Your child must have reached the age of three by September 30 (a date set by the Memphis City School Board) of any given year and be less than the age of six in order to be eligible for the Head Start program. To be eligible for the Early Head Start program, your child must be at least six weeks old and less than the age of three. For both programs, your family as a whole must meet the income requirements, which are based on the number of individuals living in your household. Because this is a program for low-income families, your annual income must be under the guidelines set by the federal government. Once you have met all of the above requirements, the next step is to choose the head start center you would like your child to attend and submit an enrollment form for each child that you are want to enroll. The completion of an enrollment form does not guarantee enrollment of your child. The enrollment form is reviewed and assessed accordingly. Please view our Enroll Your Child page to learn more and download enrollment forms.

In order to find out the status of your child's position, you must call the centers that you have applied for or call (901) 922-0700 to speak with a family service specialist.

In selecting the children and families to be served, the Head Start program must consider the income of eligible families, the age of the child, the availability of kindergarten or first grade to the child, and the extent to which a child or family meets the criteria established by Sec. 1305.3(c)(6).

Note: Priority is given to children from families whose pursuit of agricultural work required them to relocate to the Shelby County area within the previous two-year period.

On August 31, 2010, the state issued a new, more rigorous permit that requires the county to perform many more tasks, such as sampling and doing in-stream assessments of the waters of the state. It also includes many time- and cost-intensive requirements for public education and illegal discharge detection. Again, these tasks will be required with no funding given by the state or federal government.

To increase the general tax rate to pay for these tasks may not be effective, because the money within the general fund can be used for any government operation. To make sure that the money raised to prevent pollution and regulate discharges into stream and lakes, Shelby County set up a dedicated stormwater fund. This ensures that all of the money raised can only be used for the stormwater program items.

Any person requesting the installation, modification, repair, or abandonment of a subsurface sewage disposal system within Shelby County must submit an application to the Water Quality Branch & Septic Tank Program.

All applications requesting a permit to install a subsurface sewage disposal system requires that a non-refundable processing fee of $175 be submitted with the plot plan and soil analysis for each subsurface sewage disposal system.

Each application is reviewed to assure that all pertinent information has been supplied before a site visit is arranged to site the septic tank. Any incomplete application will not have a site inspection done until all information is provided regarding the site. The normal time frame for the issuance of a permit to install a septic tank is one to two weeks, after the complete application has been received by this office.

Yes, any repair work done on a subsurface sewage system will require that a permit be issued for the work. No permit will be issued until a site inspection has been done to verify that the repair work meets all siting criteria.

Any person requesting the installation, modification, repair, or abandonment of a water well or any other type of well or soil boring within Shelby County shall submit an application to the Water Quality Branch.

All applications requesting new well installations or modification of an existing well shall submit a plot plan showing the location of all underground utilities within 50 feet of the proposed well site. The plot plan must show any identifiable sources of potential contamination, such as (but not limited to) septic tanks, field lines for the septic tanks, underground seepage pits, manure piles, barns, or similar potential sources of contamination. Also, the plot plan should indicate an approximate location for the well, and it must be sited as close to the desired location as possible. A sketch of how the well is to be constructed shall be included with the application. Sections I and IX of the Well Application Form must be completed by the well owner. The well driller must complete sections IV through VIII and both the applicant as well as the driller must sign the completed application form.

All applications requesting a permit to construct water wells requires that a non-refundable processing fee of $25 dollars must be submitted with each application. Any construction permits issued on an emergency basis require a $50 emergency fee be paid before the permit will be issued for construction of the well.

Each application is reviewed to assure all pertinent information has been supplied before a site visit is arranged for siting the well. A site inspection must be performed for the purpose of siting a water well in order to assure that the well location will meet all applicable siting criteria. The normal time frame for issuance of a construction permit is two to three weeks from the date of receiving a complete application. A well sited on an emergency basis should be issued within three to five business days.

The well owner must maintain the well in an operative condition at all times with a source of power in order to collect water samples for analytical purposes. A yearly permit fee of $100 to operate or maintain a well classified as quasi-public must be paid to the Water Quality Branch in January of each year.

Yes, a well repair permit must be issued for the work whenever the seal on the well is broken. An application must be completely filled out then submitted before conducting the work. After completion of the work, the well driller shall notify the Water Quality Branch that the well is ready for sampling.

Yes, the well owner must submit a permit for well abandonment. The Water Quality Branch personnel must witness all well abandonment procedures. The water wells must be filled with Portland cement or a high-solids bentonite grout by a well driller licensed with the State of Tennessee. For more detailed information about the regulatory requirements for filling a water well refer to Section 9 of the Shelby County Well Construction Code.